Be Careful Chapter 1
---- 'Chapter 1 Danmaku battles.' Author's Notes: So...umm...yeah! Gonna do this one to change pace while I struggle with the new chapter of Touhou Rider Reimu. This is pretty much what is says on the tin: Louise summons Yuka Kazami with a bit of a twist. Please enjoy! I own nothing! ---- Danmaku battles. How I adore and loath them at the same time~ On one hand, I never get to kill my foes anymore. On the other, that means that I can keep beating on them as long as they don't die. I find it a personal challenge to completely defeat my foe without having to kill them. I wonder when I started enjoying these rules that the girl imposed on Gensokyo? No matter. I will simply savour what pleasures I can have this way. I am Yuka Kazami. I am known as many things my many beings. Youkai? The Sleeping Terror? The Oriental Demon? The Flower Master of the Four Seasons? The Beauty of Everlasting Darkness? Those titles don't matter. I am simply Yuka, and I am the strongest in Gensokyo! ---- "Wouldn't you agree?" I asked my current foe. Yukari Yakumo, the youkai of borders and one of the few who can fight me on equal terms without turning into goo. I do so love the battles we waged back in the day. Back when we didn't have those rules. Alas, we take what little pleasure we have left. "Honestly, picking fights as soon as spring arrives. You're just as pointed as that fairy." Yukari casually said as she nimbly dodged wave after wave of danmaku. The old woman narrowed her golden eyes as her long wavy blond hair fluttered in the air. She was casually sitting on one of her gaps while holding an open pink parasol with her right hand. She was wearing a pink and purple dress and had a pink mob cap with a thin red ribbon tied in the front. Red ribbons could also be found liberally, but stylishly, displaced on her dress. "I've been asleep for three months but I'm still awake for more days that you." I teased before opening up my own parasol and unleashing a white ray of light, dubbed Master Spark by the witch who copied it. "Touché." Yukari replied as she moved away from the blast, the beam of light barely grazing her. This was the problem I have always had with Danmaku battles. As fun as they are, most of the high-end battles end up as stalemates because both combatants are so equally matched. Yukari and I have battled endlessly for centuries that we knew each other's styles intimately. Sadly, this meant that we can go at it for hours without anyone hitting anything except air or the wayward fairy that wandered too close. When has this started to lose its novelty? I quietly thought before lowering my parasol and looking at the ground. "Giving up?" Yukari asked, she knew better. We ran out of time and our spell cards have been exhausted and broken. The danmaku battle had once again ended in a draw between us. The same result we have shared for hundreds of times. "I'm bored…" I muttered before looking up at the border youkai. "Bored?" Yukari repeated with a raised brow. "It has been the same. Over and over again, we fight to a standstill. We can't even try to kill each other anymore. I find this…stagnant. I've started to want some change in my life, something more than binding rules and meaningless play-battles." I confessed as I looked up at the clear blue spring sky, basking in the glorious rays of the sun. I looked back at Yukari after she started to giggle softly. "Be careful what you wish for Yuka." The border youkai said with a wide smile. I raised a brow too late to wonder what she had meant. I felt a tug on my right arm. I looked at it and saw that my entire arm, including parasol, was being wrapped…consumed by some strange blue substance. "Very cute, but you know these kinds of attacks are not allowed." I pointedly chided Yukari, who kept her smile at me. She slowly, deliberately, lifted her left hand and pointed behind me. "Be careful what you wish for." I heard her repeat her words as I saw what she was pointing at. I blue portal of some sort was behind me and was sending out tendrils which started wrapping themselves around me. I paid them no mind, I had dealt with far worse. That had been the mistake which started everything. I casually tried to break my arms free of the magical grasp, I had done so countless times before. Magical binding have a consistent record of breaking under my strength. My eyes started to widen when the satisfying sensation of freedom did not come. In fact, the binding was becoming stronger. "That's not me dear." Yukari said simply as more and more tendrils wrapped around my body until my vision darkened when it had finally claimed my head. This, however, is me. Enjoy the change Yuka. I heard Yukari say before the darkness completely took me. ---- Be careful what you wish for, a simple yet profound lesson. Yukari's final words echoed in my mind as I drift in this abyss. I had not the means to neither discern where I was much less to try to make my way out. All I saw was black. I smiled despite myself. Was this what Yukari had meant? Was this the change given to me, a punishment to those who have violated the almighty rules of the Hakurei? A prison then? No, this is too empty and expanse to be a prison. It reminded me of the portal that we took to get to Makai. Those were fun times, though I wonder why Mima had stopped contacting me after that. Strange that I find myself reminiscing about old times when it had been my very wish to be rid of them. Regardless, I recall them. I recall the past as I drift in this plane of existence with no certain future to be seen. Curious, I could not comprehend any sensation in this abyss, this void. Not sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, nor my sensitivity to magic. I did not know how long I have been here. I didn't know how long I have left here still. Was this what death feels like? Was that portal simply something that disintegrates anything it takes in? I personally find it insulting to think that the strongest in Gensokyo could be done in by such a paltry thing. Pity, I would have liked to see how it reacts to a Master Spark. I drift. I have long since run out of memories to recall, all of them were fond times. This was not my intention when I wished for a change. I had wished for something more…substantial. I had wished a break from the boredom I had endured in Gensokyo. I had wished for something new to happen in my life. I had certainly wished for something more than this void. I had very nearly resigned to my fate to be forever drifting in this nothingness. I had very nearly shut down my own mind to put myself out of my misery. Driven to suicide because of such a thing, how the mighty have fallen. I had liked to believe that I chuckled at that, I wouldn't really know. It was then that I finally saw a change, a change profound yet familiar. Something I had forgotten I had sorely missed since my time here adrift. 'THE LIGHT' Light I reach out with my left hand. I felt myself reach out. My senses returning the closer I come to the light. I had the strange feeling that something was off, that was reach was different, but I paid it no mind at the time. The only thing in my mind at the time was that I was going to finally have the change I was looking for at last. It was that or a lot of things will die very soon. 'THE EXPLOSION.' An explosion, that was the very first thing I comprehended after I got my senses back. It was very reassuring. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but smoke. I inhaled and savoured the smell of burnt magic. Magic, yes. Wherever I ended up in, there was magic in the air. Not as much as in Gensokyo but I could taste it. That made it obvious that I was no longer in that place. No matter where I went in Gensokyo, the amount of magic in the air was still the same…substantial. Here, not so much. I waved my hand to rid the smoke from my sight as I stood, making sure to pick up my white parasol. I heard voices from beyond the smoke. Young voices, around the age of the witch and the girl if I am not mistaken, and a large number of them at that. Curious. Most Curious. I pondered on the implications of such a thing as I started to walk toward the closest voice. It sounded like a young girl, younger than the other voices from her tone and inflection. I cleared the smoke and finally saw the girl in front of me. She was a diminutive pink wavy-haired girl. She was also much shorter that I was, I had to lower my gaze to simply have a better look at her. Amber eyes, novel. She was wearing a white shirt with a black mantle on top of it which was secured by a brooch that had a pentagram engraved on it. She also had a short skirt black stockings and brown boots. I raised a brow at the combination of clothing she wore before scanning the field. We were in a large empty grass field in what I could honestly say was a castle. The other young voices I had heard came from human children who all wore similar clothing, the difference is the exchange of skirts and stockings for pants and socks for the opposite gender. "Most curious…" I uttered my first words since coming to this strange place…and I was absolutely shocked. The words I had intended to speak came out but the voice that spoke it was not my own. Instead of a silky and mature feminine voice, I had heard a silky deep manly voice. I blinked a few times and looked at my body for a moment. I was sure I had gone mad. For the most part, my attire remained intact. The white long-sleeved shirt and black on red plaid vest were still there. However, my plaid skirt had been replaced by black slacks and a brown leather belt and my boots also changed from red to brown. I touched my head and pulled a strand of hair in front of my eyes. Still green, that's good. The most notable thing I had noticed was that I was taller, still slender but toned. Gone were my ample chest and I was certain I had felt something very curious in my pants. Enjoy the change Yuka. Yukari's last words finally made sense. The absurdity of the situation was so much that I could not help but start laughing. I held the side of my head with my left hand and used the parasol on my right hand as support. The unfamiliar voice carried my intention through the field filled with humans, magicians if I guessed. I had wished for change, and changed I was! I looked down on the strawberry-blonde girl, who was talking with a man of much more advanced age. He was balding who wore a simple pair of glasses and was sporting a blue robe. They spoke in a language which was familiar yet not so, regardless I could not understand a word they exchanged. "Tell me…" My words got the attention of both humans, who turned to me. The girl was scowling at me while the man was looking at me with a neutral expression. "…do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?" I asked the futile question with a smile. I was proven correct when I girl gave me a puzzled look which was followed by bouts of laughter I looked around and saw the other human children laughing and pointing at myself and the girl in turn. Humans laughing at me, amusing. The girl lowered her gaze to the ground, her hands balling up into fists as she trembled. I noticed that there was a small black wand in her right hand, a magician indeed. I had my assumptions of what happened to me. Why I had come here, who this girl was, and why the other humans seem to associate her with myself. I lowered myself to one knee, using my parasol like a walking stick and I met the girl's gaze. Ah, I noted to myself when I saw the fire in her eyes. This girl has much willpower, the desire to prove herself. The desire for power and the determination to achieve it. She looked up to me and I could not help but smile. Such a short and meaningless life humans have. Yet, in those few decades, they desire and accomplish many things. I had never actually found myself to become interested in their species, such a being I was back then. "A change in my demeanor towards your inferior species then." I said to the girl who suddenly pointed her wand at me before starting to mutter an incantation in the language I still could not comprehend. A spell? I was not worried. I had weathered the force of a newborn star. I had withstood the might of gods. I had defeated the creator of the world of demons. I do not find the need to be alarmed by the spell of a girl who could not even stand up for herself. So, I let her continue. I let her finish her incantation in pure curiosity of what she would use against a stranger who she had just met. Her words ended and she lowered her wand. Nothing. I raised a brow at the failed spell when she suddenly put her hands on the sides of my head and pressed her soft lips on mine. Not and offensive spell. A contract. My assumption was correct when I felt a burning sensation on my left hand. I casually stared at my smoking flesh as glowing runes engraved themselves in me, a strange kind of magic flowing through me as the symbols branded me. The process ended as the last of the symbols was engraved, the glow dying down and my flesh no longer sizzled. I smiled and stood up, looking at the girl who was brightly blushing and looking away from me in embarrassment. I looked at the girl who just made the strongest youkai in Gensokyo her shikigami…no…her familiar. "With this…" I started, hefting my parasol on my right shoulder and getting the attention of everyone once again. "…my power is now yours. I will grant you a means to annihilate all who oppose you, all who you see fit to die. Cities, countries, this entire world is now at your mercy now that you have me. Simply give the word and I shall kill everyone here in a heartbeat. The fat portly boy, the red-haired whore, the quiet blue-haired mute, the disgusting effeminate blonde boy, the blonde girl with the shining forehead. All who have insulted you and shamed you will know the fear that has been engrained into even the most powerful of monsters. I am Yuka Kazami. I am now yours." I ended my declaration with the same warm smile I had worn throughout the ordeal. The pink-haired girl simply stared at me in utter confusion before the older man and the rest of the children started leaving. The girl mumbled something before walking away. She turned back and glared at me before she started yelling something. Ah, mayhap she wanted me to follow her? I acted upon my thought by following a step behind my diminutive master. Master. Yes…a substantial change indeed. ---- 'GETTING TO KNOW YOU' "I must say…" I muttered as I waved away the smoke that was blocking my vision at the moment. My master had led me to her bedchambers after everyone left the field. The castle I found myself in seems to be an institution of learning. A school for human magicians it would seem, much larger than the school in the human village back home. She had stomped through the halls, climbed up the stairs and eventually stopped in front of a door. The poor souls who got in her way were quickly glared at into submission by the girl after she noticed the looks they were giving the two of us. For my part, I simply walked on behind her with my parasol over my right shoulder. I was still trying to get used to my new body. A male form has distinct as well as subtle differences compared to a female one. The simple act of walking felt like a finely tuned balancing act as I quietly struggled to maintain a comfortable pace behind my master. I did all my adjustments and preliminary assessments of my new body in silence, covered with my warm smile. Such is Yuka Kazami. Eventually, my master finally opened the door and let herself inside. I glanced within and looked at her room. It was quaint and fit the castle motif quite well. A single four-post bed, a wardrobe, a body mirror, and a desk and chair with a simple bookshelf. Again, quaint and fitting for a student if my reading into human culture in the past can be trusted. The small girl turned around and looked straight at me before starting another series of strained words and tirades while pointing at me. After a while, she settled into a rhythm of muttering to herself before glaring at me and shouting a few more words at me. Again, I understood nothing and simply kept my smile. Good thing for her, I would not have been held responsible for my actions had I understood her rather passionate words towards me. I did try to communicate with her through speech and gesture. The results were minimal at best and she eventually got angry enough to point her wand at me again before unleashing an explosion spell right at my face. Hence, the current situation. "…I give you points for having the courage to detonate a concussive blast of magic at point-blank range in the middle of your room." I said, wholly certain that she still could not understand me. I shrugged off the explosion, though I noted that I will need a new set of clothes later on. The force of the blast was nothing I hadn't already outgrown but I was impressed at the girl's lack of hesitation at unleashing that kind of spell in such close quarters. She gets to live because of that. "Wait! I understood that!" My master suddenly said in surprise. I propped up my closed parasol against her desk before I started to try to get the soot off my white shirt. "And I understood that." I calmly said as I futilely tried to dust myself off. I sighed as I gave up trying to clean myself up with just my hands and gave the girl a bored look. I was not happy with what she did, I have killed for less a reason. However, I had already decided to let her live. I was still curious what this change in my life has brought me and where it will lead me. I will play my role while I find amusement in it. "Honestly though, a translation spell laced in an explosion spell? You are either quite creative or very destructive. Regardless, I am impressed with your ability for dual-casting and melding of two unrelated spells." I commented. Indeed, she had only said close to five words but she managed to perform both a translation spell, an explosion spell, plus she combined them into one. So technically, she triple-casted. The thought brought the smile back to my face, not bad for a human child. "What? That was supposed to just be a silencing spell!" She quickly responded with and incredulous expression. My previous smile suddenly dropped at her words. "Excuse me?" I asked for clarification. "You kept talking in some weird language and I had enough of it, so I tried to cast a silencing spell to shut you up!" The girl clarified. It was an accident? The seemingly brilliant triple-cast was a fluke and was not the intended result at all? I was not sure how to feel about that. On one hand, she had completely failed at her intended spell. On the other hand, the ending result of the failure was a very advanced –if unintended- method of casting. This girl suddenly became much more interesting for me. "Regardless, we can now understand each other. Once again, I am Yuka Kazami. And now that yo-" My attempted repeat of my earlier declaration in the field was interrupted when the girl stomped her foot on the ground and glared at me. "You have some nerve in trying to speak out of turn, commoner!" The small girl suddenly declared. Her overall demeanor and apparent superiority complex reminded me of the ice fairy before she started to mature after her second century. I was caught off balance by her rudeness that all I could reply with was 'Excuse me?' "Listen! I am Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière! I summoned you, which means that I am your master and you are my familiar! That means that you are obligated to do whatever it is I command, You-kha Ka-zha-mee!" I twitched a brow at her words as she put her left hand on her hip while pointing at me with her other hand. My, she's as haughty as the vampire. Much less charisma, though. "Yuka is fine, Louise. Try not to overdo the vowels next time." I politely said. The butchering of my name aside, she either had quite a lot of courage or was simply blinded by her own ego. After all, youkai or not, she was still effectively talking down to a grown man who was two full heads taller than her inside a closed room. She huffed before walking back to her bed and sitting down on it, her gaze firmly set to the floor. "I can't believe I summoned a commoner. Why couldn't it have been something amazing and powerful like a dragon or griffin?" She muttered to herself while keeping her eyes glued to the floor. My smile returned as I entertained the thought that a dragon or a griffin would be better than having me. She must not have been able to sense my power. I also noted that none of the people in the field seemed to regard me with anything other than what Louise had dubbed 'commoner'. No matter. I have nothing to prove to them, though the girl in front of me is not as lucky. I sighed at the sight before me and walked up to the closed door. Should I simply leave and explore this world? It would be so easy to simply walk away from all this drama and go out to see what this new realm had to offer. "Everything I have ever done has ended in failure. I can't even cast the simplest spell. All I can make are explosions. Everyone is right. A stupid ability like that will never be useful or ever amount to anything…" I heard the girl mutter to herself. The hand I was about to use to grab my parasol froze. I slowly turned to her and saw that she had plopped down on her bed and curled up into a pink ball of self misery. A stupid ability like that will never be useful or ever amount to anything. Those were words that I have not heard in a very long time, words that were uttered by a newly born youkai who didn't know any better. A foolish girl who once believed that the gift that the world bestowed on her was completely useless. A naive girl who once thought, over a millennia ago, that the power to manipulate flowers will never amount to anything. I looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes. Did that Yama have a hand in all of this? Was this all really just some ironic fate that was bestowed upon the two of us? "I just wished I could have summoned a powerful familiar. Something I could be proud of…" I heard the girl mutter. I smiled and opened my eyes and looked at the door. Yes, it will stay closed for now. I turned around, folded my arms, and leaned back on the door. "Be careful what you wish for." I stated, unable to resist poking at the subtle irony I have discovered. I saw her turn to me, still hugging her knees. "Shut up...stupid commoner." She quietly stated, her previous fire no longer present. There was it again. Sure, I was not dressed in regal attire, but neither was she. "Commoner? What do you mean by that?" I asked her before tilting my head to the side. She knitted her eyebrows before she sat back up, finally letting go of her knees. "A commoner is a commoner, someone who can't use magic. You should know this already. And no, just because you know the jargon doesn't mean that you can be considered a noble. So all that talk before about dual-casting or whatever doesn't count." She stated matter of factly. Ah, so being a commoner means that you are unable to cast spells. Then that means… "Anyone who can cast magic are…nobility?" I asked with a small hint of uncertainty. Logically it made sense. Those who could wield the power of magic had a natural advantage over those who could not. Thus, it would make it easier for them to become more influential and have a better standing in their community. Power equalling authority seems to be the rule here. I smiled at the concept. If simply being able to wield magic means that one is a noble, what does that make me? What would that make anyone from Gensokyo who can use spell cards? "Indeed! As such, you would do well to give proper respect to your betters!" Louise declared, regaining her previous fire. Betters? There was one, and only one, human I have ever considered my better, the exception to the rule. She is gone now. Sad that Reimu's descendants never had the same kind of power and skill she used to wield. My smile did not falter at the hollow threat. I believed that I had a good grasp of her personality now. Her bolster and pride were the only things she could hang on to. Her nobility was both her boon and her bane. She believed that she was a living paradox to the rule, a noble that could not cast proper magic. Yes, a delicate rose that has nothing but her own thorns with which to protect her. "So then tell me…Master…" I slowly stated, making sure to draw out the title that I defer to her with. "…what does a familiar do?" I asked. Of course, I knew what a familiar is and what they do. The most basic things are to provide an extension for the senses of the magician. The more intermediate things are to provide simple assistance and protection. The advanced familiars could even provide council and fight for their masters to the death. I had known but I wanted to see if there were any differences from what I knew about the intricacies between master-familiar relationships from what Louise knew. I was satisfied when she roughly explained the dynamics in the same way, though she seemed to think that having a human familiar was less than advantageous. "I think you underestimate the utility of having a human familiar." I responded to her explanation, making a conscious effort not to break down laughing after referring to myself as 'human'. "What do you mean?" Louise asked, crossing her own arms over her chest. "I mean, an animal cannot communicate through speech. An animal cannot make conscious, rational decisions. An animal cannot use tools. An animal cannot learn past a certain point. An animal simply cannot do several things that a human can." I stated, surprising myself. When I think about it, humans can do a lot of things that animals could not. They were certainly inferior to me, but they were not helpless either. "That doesn't matter. You can just hire a servant for that. In fact, what can you even do aside from being a commoner?" The girl asked the question she should have asked as soon as she summoned me instead of dismissing me simply because I looked human. I carefully thought about what I should say in response. Should I simply state the truth and say that I am an ancient and powerful youkai that has gone through countless of battles against beings of a similar degree of power? No, she wouldn't believe me unless I vaporized this castle before her own eyes. Should I lie and say that I am simply a commoner with absolutely no skill? No, I am past simply lying to get by. If there was something I had learned in my later centuries as a youkai, it was that the truth is much more fun to use than lies. Lies take effort, planning, and execution. If you get found out, it was over. The truth can have the same or even greater effect than a lie if you use it wisely. The truth can kill. As a bonus, it is also undeniable. My smile grew wider as I decided to take a third option instead. "I am quite adept at making flowers bloom." I politely stated. Half-truths, something Yukari is a grandmaster at wielding. I was still a novice compared to her as far as utilizing it goes, but I was not up against a master manipulator. The effect was pretty much what I had expected. Louise put her face in her hands and shook her head in disbelief. "By the founder…I summoned a gardener." She said to herself. Stone dead silence settled between us after that. I waited to see how she would react to my confession of my talents. I was curious at how she would handle having someone who 'can make flowers bloom' as her familiar, even though she doesn't comprehend the extent or possibilities of that statement yet. I heard her sigh before she finally looked up at me, her expression was like a human who had resigned themselves to their death. "Fine…I'm too tired to care anymore." She said before she stood up and began undressing. I raised a brow at the action. Did she feel no shame at doing such and act in front of a male? I had always thought that humans held modesty in high regard. I then wondered if she had realized another 'utility' of having a human familiar of the opposite gender. I was pondering such possibilities when I noticed something land on my head. I grabbed the object and held it in front of my eyes. The girl just threw her socks at me. I looked at her and saw that she had already changed into a pink nightgown. Louise climbed on her bed and pulled the covers over her. "Wash those. Make sure to wake me up tomorrow before dawn." She commanded in a tired tone. I stared at the floor, her discarded clothes littered everywhere, and back to her. "And where do I sleep, master?" I asked as I knelt down and picked up her tiny skirt. I looked back to her for a response and only saw her right hand point tiredly at a pile of hay beside the bed. I chuckled softly at to what she was implying. The changes in my life seemed to become stranger and stranger. I picked up the rest of her clothes and put them in a basket that was already half-filled with laundry. I held the basket under my left arm as I picked up my parasol and exited the room. I would never live this down if anyone from Gensokyo found out about this. ---- 'NEXT MORNING' I walked along the torch-lit halls of the castle. The sun had already set and Louise fell asleep early. My master seemed to be very tired after summoning me. I was wondering what I should do about this laundry when I heard voices in the distance. I noted the direction where they were coming from but I paid them no more mind than that. I glanced at corner where the voices came from and saw that effeminate blonde boy flamboyantly performing courting rituals to a girl. The girl was offering gifts to the boy and he accepted them with much gusto. The perfectly grown red rose on the boy's shirt made me raise a brow. Did he buy that at a flower shop? He didn't seem the type to be able to grow them by himself. It seemed that I had been staring for too long when I noticed the girl looking at me. The boy turned to meet my gaze and smirked. "You there!" He declared while pointing at me, speaking in the same way that Louise had earlier. "Me?" I asked with a tilt of my head. "You are the commoner that Louise the Zero summoned, yes?" The boy inquired. Louise the Zero? "So it would seem…" I responded. The girl was staring at me with longing eyes, the boy noticed this and narrowed his eyes at me before turning to the girl. "Pay him no mind Katie! He is nothing more than a commoner who is out to do his mistress' laundry. He doesn't even have a proper sword so he settles for an umbrella-" "Parasol." I interrupted the boy's tirade, to which he gave me a questioning look. "This is a parasol. I do not require a sword as long as I have this." I repeated, tapping the tip of my white parasol on the floor. Some require large bladed weapons to assert their power upon others, all I need is my trusty white parasol. "Indeed…" Was all the boy replied with. The girl, Katie, seemed to sense the growing tension between us and decided to step in. "Guiche…" Katie quietly said. The boy, Guiche, turned to her and smiled. "As I said, pay him no mind my dear Katie." He said reassuringly to the girl before turning to me. "You may go, commoner." He dismissively said but I barely heard it as I was already walking away. It seemed that snobbishness was a part of the culture here. No matter. A wolf does not care how much pride a rabbit has. It knows what the food chain looks like. I continued my walk through the castle, trying very hard to find an exit without the need to making a new one through the wall. I then noticed a black haired girl who was wearing a maid outfit walking by. I seized the opportunity to be rid of my current burden and get some directions at the same time. "Excuse me." I said from behind the girl. She flinched in surprise at my words before quickly turning to me. She regarded me for a moment before calming down. "You are…the familiar that Miss De Lavaliere summoned?" She asked in a much more polite way that Guiche did, a testament to the submissiveness of the commoner class or simply good manners? "Quite so. I am Yuka Kazami." I replied, repaying the politeness the girl showed to me. I would like to think that I am a very polite person when not in battle. After all, the politeness of a youkai is directly proportional to their power. "I am Siesta, a maid in the service of the Tristain Magic Academy. It is nice to meet you Mister You-kha Kha-zaa-mee." The maid said with a bow. She provided me her name and the name of the castle I was currently in with the poise of a professional. She needs to work on the pronunciation of my name though. "Yuka is fine. It is nice to meet you as well Siesta." I replied, returning the bow with a curt one. Politeness or not, I was not about to give a respectful bow to a human. The maid glanced away for a moment, her face slightly reddening, before glancing at what I was carrying under my arm. Perfect. "My master requested me to have her laundry taken care of." I supplied. My statement was true, she did tell me to have these washed. She just never stated that I should do it myself. "Oh! I can take care of that for you Mister Yuka!" Siesta offered. Just as planned. "Thank you. I was starting to get worried about how I was going to take care of this. I'm still learning where everything is so I was not sure where to go." I explained as Siesta took the load of laundry from my arm. "Oh! I can give you a short tour of the castle before I take care of these." The maid offered. I accepted and I spent the proceeding hour touring the major locales of the institution. After I was satisfied with the preliminary survey of the new territory, I bid the maid adieu and stepped outside into the cool night air. I took a long breath and gazed upward. Two moons, novel. I walked around, following Siesta's directions, and found what I was looking for. The first thing I asked the maid when we started our tour was if there was a garden in this place. I was glad to find that there was. I walked to the somewhat simple garden. Six plots of land bordered by simple iron fences. Spring flowers bloomed beautifully in the in the light of the two moons. I took in the fragrance of the flowers and sighed in satisfaction. There was nothing better than appreciating the beauty of flowers. This place will do nicely. I was not about to spend the night on a stack of hay so I decided to do something a bit different. I closed my eyes and focused. I reached out through the ether, through my subconscious, through the border of dreams and found what I was looking for. I raised my closed parasol and pointed the tip directly in front of me. A red flower motif door materialized at the point where my parasol had previously met air. I opened my eyes and smiled at my work. It took a bit more effort but I was still able to call out to it all the same. I noticed that I was no longer alone in the immediate area. I looked up and saw a blue drake land on the ground a short distance from the garden. On the back of the drake was the quiet blue haired girl from this afternoon. The girl was staring at me wide eyed, obviously surprised at what I had just done. I simply smiled at her and reached for the door knob. "I bid you good night." I said to the girl before opening the door and stepping through it, closing the door behind me. The other side held my dream world, my true home, Mugenkan. Sadly, the mansion here was only a copy of the one I have back in Gensokyo. The dream realm was common no matter where I was, but my mansion was still tied to Gensokyo itself. Oh well, I'll take what I can get. I walked along the yellow brick road on the way to my new mansion while surrounded by sunflowers. I will sleep well tonight. ---- 'STUPID GARDENER' Louise opened her eyes and found herself in the middle of a field of sunflowers. It was still night time and she was sure that she fell asleep on her bed. Additionally, there was no sunflower field anywhere near the academy. The pink-haired girl blinked a few times and grimaced. This was clearly a dream, one that was influenced by her familiar after he explained his 'skill'. Stupid gardener… Zero no Tsukaima Fanon < Top Of Page > Table Content Table Content << >> Chapter 2 Be Careful What You Wish For Category:Chapters